BlackBerry tablet just a resurrection of the Foleo?

updated 10:35 am EDT, Thu May 13, 2010

by MacNN Staff

RIM BlackBerry tablet may just be companion

RIM's rumored BlackBerry tablet is really just a revival of Palm's Foleo concept, tips today suggest. The 8.9-inch device would only be a companion to an existing BlackBerry and would provide a larger screen for books, movies, photos and the web. Either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi would provide the connection to the smartphone, with no 3G for the tablet itself.

The BGR sources don't have a hard ship date. RIM is purportedly aiming for December but hopes to have it in the market sooner if possible.

While unlikely to be confirmed by RIM unless it becomes a shipping product, the companion tablet faces uncertain prospects. Its closest analogy, the Foleo, was killed off before it was even released as it became clear that the $500, notebook-like partner to a Treo was unlikely to sell well. Former Apple executive put an end to the device to refocus Palm on what would become the Pre, a move many credit with prolonging Palm's survival long enough for it to be acquired by HP this year. The nearest equivalent, the Celio RedFly, has had only modest success.

Those within RIM may be aware of this, as some providing the rumor have expressed "frustration" that the company would even try such a tablet.

On the record, co-CEO Mike Lazaridis has avoided direct confirmations or denials, saying the market was unclear for a tablet; at the time, however, he had been referring to device-independent tablets like the iPad.

Sorry but the Foleo was an early netbook prototype, and netbooks ended up taking off in a big way ,and Palm, having killed theirs before it was even released, didn't take part at all in that success, giving away the store to the likes of ASUS.

It's true, though, that Palm was stuck, as so many are, trying to make such a fundamental change as moving off their legacy platform...remember Cobalt? It was never even released.

Blackberry, unfortunately is in the same problem with a crappy OS. yes, they have OS 6 coming out that fixes some problems, yes they did buy a very impressive OS company -- but oh are they late to the game.

my iPad is a companion device to my phone, no doubt about it. I bought a phone with wi-fi tethering abilities precisely so that I could have a phone, and a tablet, and not pay extra for the tablet 3g plan.

why would anyone sane do that? I mean, the phone just answers calls, and is in my pocket. The tablet can piggy back on that.

All my iPad is, is a consumer of media.....well not all, I do have some drawing apps, but please....this RIM idea is solid, and Apple is the company that proved it.

We just aren't using the right 'words' and 'phrasing'... but nothing is fundamentally wrong with the strategy.

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